4 out of 4 stars
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Guardian of Deceit by William H. Coles is a contemporary fiction story of family life, permeated with “…false values, hubris and lack of care”. The story, though a work of fiction has its setting as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA and Coles perfectly captures the rich cultural heritage of its people and their flair for sporting activities especially football in this novel.
The storyline is predominantly focused on young Darwin Hastings and his cousin Luther Pinnelli, a rich and famous football star. Darwin at the age of 17 found himself orphaned, confused and faced with an uncertain future. Darwin was born into a wealthy home but he couldn’t have access to his inheritance until he becomes of age. He was however certain of one thing; he wants to be a medical doctor and therefore would never allow his circumstances (not even his cruel guardian) to derail his goals. Luther, the supposed guardian of the young teen failed to provide the necessary guarding Darwin needed to succeed in life. Aside Luther’s football career, nothing about his social life and friends could inspire Darwin to reach his dreams. Luckily for Darwin he met Dr. Malverne on his way to Pittsburgh who volunteered to guide him through the rigors of medical education. This setback notwithstanding, Darwin amazingly coped so well on his own without Luther firmly supporting his dream. At a point in the story, I began to wonder who really the guardian should be; Luther or Darwin.
Highly vocal in the novel are the themes of regrets, secrets, scandals and poor family relationships leading to several divorces as the story developed. The narrative equally addresses such societal issues like poor child upbringing, bad choices and consequences of poor parenting.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book because of its very engaging narrative style. I found Darwin to be an inspiration as he depicts a young boy who overlooked the challenges of growing up under the tutelage of a misfit guardian but focused on actualizing his life goals. He is indeed an example of a smart boy in a world were proper upbringing standards are falling geometrically.
My rating of Guardian of Deceit is 4 out of 4 stars. It is an excellent work by Coles. I would recommend this book to everyone who enjoys heartwarming family stories. It was properly edited, given the reader that engaging feeling of an easy read. There is a slight cliffhanger at the end of the story as the last word was “Hi” from Darwin supposed new girlfriend. I am eager to know how that relationship finally took-off as well as how Luther steered his scandal ridden career back to life if he ever did. So, am on the lookout for Coles’ next publications.
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Guardian of Deceit
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